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File Name

index.cpd

▼

Item Description

Title

Sports

Format (IMT)

image/jpeg

File Name

yearb_1992_105.jpg

Transcript

What do you
W hat we Ve got.. .along with the
grass football fields, there are also fields
used by intramurals and the marching
band. The John Hoff Tennis Courts
and Cougar Field will be moved for
the new facility.-Graphic by Tubad Productions
What we're getting...The two
story building will contain a full-size
Astroturf football field that can be
removed, and the floor used for
other sports, such as tennis, basketball and track. The facility will house
athletic offices for coaches, a gift
shop, training and weight room and
the UH Hall of Fame. Cougar Field
will be moved to accommodate the
new building and lighting will be
installed. The tennis courts will also
move, and be lighted. Locker rooms
and offices in Hofheinz Pavilion will
be renovated, using part of the
donated money-Graphic by Tubad
Productions
BUILD
w,
hen John and Rebbecca Moores decided to
give $51.4 million to the University, the Athletic
Department was the biggest benefactor.
Almost half of that donation, $25 million
was earmarked for the building of a new athletic
facility. The two story building, to be located
behind Hofheinz Pavilion facing Cullen, will
contain a full indoor practice field, new offices,
complete weight room and a training facility.
New lighted tennis courts and a slightly
moved andlighted Cougar fieldarealso included
in the deal. Locker rooms and a new grandstand
will also be added, in hopes of attracting more
- fans in night games.
The gift, part of
the largest private donation given to a public
university, came as a re
sultoftheCougarstooka
crushing defeat in football to the Miami Hurricanes in September.
with $25 million?
asuccessfulathleticprogram,thecommunitywill
be more inclined to offer support, and donations
to the whole university.
Athletic Director Rudy Da valos said the
UH has been competing at a disadvantage with
other schools, due to the quality of our facilities.
'We're not fighting against cannons with slingshots anymore."
"The money is totally for funding construction and refurbishment of facilities," said
Davalos. Noneof the money given toathletics will
fund student scholarships, pay coaches and staff,
or help run theexpensive Athletic Department,so
fund-raisingremainsim-
portant,aswellasattract-
ingoutstandingathletes.
University
planners are intent on
combining the new
Alumni Organization
(AO) building with the
photo by Adrees Latif new athletic facility.The
TheMooresattendedthegameas guests
of late president Marguerite Ross Barnett, who
encouraged the idea of a large donation to the
university, but no-one expected it to be that large.
Barnett told the Daily Cougar that the Moores
asked what it would take to bring a big-time
sports program, like Miami's to UH.
"I mentioned the improvement of facilities would help us on the basis of recruiting. I had
a modest notion of what it would take to improve
our facilities, but he wanted a state-of-the-art
facility," said Barnett. 'Now I'm glad we lost to
Miami, but I wouldn't say that in front of Coach
John Jenkins."
The donation of so much money caused
several letters to the editor and some silent protests, trying to tell the Moores that there money
had been misspent. John Moores said, "I have
made it clear that my first priority is not athletics,
but I thought this gift would be the first to bear
fruit. Our intention is that this gift be viewed as a
start."
TheMooresbelievethatonceUH creates
project will probably involve two buildings sharing certain parts, such as an auditorium and a hall
of honor. The two buildings may also use a
commonentrycorridorandaspaceforasouvenir
shop.
ThecontroversycameaboutwhenLeRoy
Melcher, who earmarked $5.2 million for the AO
buildingfeltthebuildingsshouldbeseparate.'We
don't want to be part of athletics," he said. 'We
wantourownbuildingbecausethealumni represents all of the colleges there."
Moores was concerned that there would
not be enough money for the AO building and
many members of the alumni facility's planning
board were also in favor of the combined complex.
Several students protested against the
possible removal of several old oak trees for the
AOCenter in the fall,bu t the combiningof the two
buildings should keep several of the trees alive
since the structure will be moved back into the
corner where the trees are more sparse.-Michael
Edwards
New Buildingl
159